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PODCAST

Top Comment

The story behind your social media feed, from BBC correspondent Marianna Spring and investigative journalist Matt Shea. Top Comment investigates what"s blowing up online. From global events that go viral across social media, to bizarre moments that spill into real life, Marianna and Matt unpack the trends, theories and digital chaos shaping our world.You can also hear Marianna"s previous series for the BBC in this feed, including Marianna in Conspiracyland, Why Do You Hate Me?, Disaster Trolls,

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All Episodes

39:29

How the 'Cornell 7' rape case became a call to action

Top Comment ·

2026/10/02

An alleged case of gang rape at a Cornell frat house has caused widespread outrage after new details emerged in a civil suit brought by the purported victim. Evidence including a Snapchat screenshot advertising a "free" sexual encounter has seen anger online directed not only towards those men accused of being involved, but others who apparently failed to step in. As a criminal investigation is reopened, Marianna and Matt explain how this case has taken over social media, from scathing critiques of

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34:11

Has Hunter Biden fumbled the bag?

Top Comment ·

2026/09/25

After years spent sheltering from the public gaze, Hunter Biden re-entered the mainstream consciousness last summer via a surprise YouTube appearance alongside prominent alternative media figure Andrew Callaghan. The interview went viral, and ever since the embattled son of former president Joe Biden has seen his online reputation soar. On this episode, Matt and Marianna track Biden Jr's journey from ridicule to redemption, and ask whether he has fumbled that newly found following with a dubious

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31:23

Why deepfake wizards went underground

Top Comment ·

2026/09/18

Sexualised deepfakes by commission - until administrators shut down a popular request forum earlier this year, self-styled 'wizards' were offering this service at scale via the imageboard site 4chan. The domain's closure followed new legislation in multiple countries targeting the creation of what are known as 'non-consensual illicit images'. But despite tighter on-platform regulation of chatbots (most notably X's Grok) this type of content continues to circulate via decentralised sites and private

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29:35

How Charlie Kirk achieved internet immortality

Top Comment ·

2026/09/11

A year since the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, social media users are marking what has controversially become known as the 'Kirkiversary'. Far from the enduring political legacy many predicted, he has rather been immortalised as an icon of the internet, his image utterly ubiquitous in meme culture. On this episode, Marianna and Matt discuss how Kirk's life and death paved the way for an online resurrection few could have anticipated.Plus - Tommy Robinson's latest diss track,

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34:46

Angel Vic and the truth about hustle culture

Top Comment ·

2026/09/04

It's the latest example of an influencer's digital persona disintegrating before our eyes. For several years, Angel Victoria Murdock has been portraying a life of self-made success, from real estate deals to a watchalong student experience at Duke University. She curated hundreds of thousands of followers and even appeared on reality show Temptation Island - only, the majority of her online life appears to have been fabricated. After being outed by real graduates of the programme she claimed to

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38:28

Lindsay Clancy and the age of TikTok trials

Top Comment ·

2026/08/27

A Massachusetts jury are deliberating in the shocking case of Lindsay Clancy, a mother who admits to killing her three young children amid suffering, her lawyers argue, extreme post-partum psychosis. Online sleuths have been streaming the trial, and aggregating clips online to advance unfounded and defamatory conspiracies in the name of activism and awareness. Matt and Marianna explain how these creators operate, and consider the broader risks connected with the growing phenomenon of TikTok trials,

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38:53

Everybody wants to be Ellie Ellis

Top Comment ·

2026/08/21

How did a 16-year-old girl with no prior online presence manage to gain more than 700k TikTok followers within a week of her first post? On this episode, we discuss the theories behind Ellie Ellis' unlikely explosion, ask whether her multimillion-view debut video could have gone viral organically, and consider how platforms profit from the aspirational lottery underpinning their algorithms. Also this week, a growing number of influencers in Bali have been panic-posting as a specialised taskforce

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30:08

Exposed: the faceless accounts inflaming the Ceuta...

Top Comment ·

2026/08/14

After roughly 78,000 migrants made the journey from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in a matter of hours at the end of July, reporters across the world were quick to identify the role of social media. Capitalising on misinformation about a Spanish Supreme Court ruling, millions of posts appeared over several weeks portraying the territory as a viable path to a new life in Europe. On this episode of Top Comment we take a detailed look at the accounts sharing what we're calling 'mirage

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33:32

A grievance syndicate is defrauding young men

Top Comment ·

2026/08/07

The manosphere is just the tip of the iceberg - that's the premise of a new report, shared exclusively with Top Comment, about the so-called male grievance industry. Its author, Kristina Wilfore, has spent years investigating state information warfare, a playbook she says is now being followed by influencers weaponising economic anxiety, body dysmorphia, and political disenfranchisement. We've also been given access to brand new data about the viral looksmaxxing trend, which reveals how just 216

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35:38

The vigilante streamers destroying reputations on Kick

Top Comment ·

2026/07/30

From chasing pickpockets to unmasking predators, vigilantism has become one of the biggest trends on social media. On this episode Matt and Marianna discuss how the age of streaming has added a new layer of risk to content like this, with the potential for devastating consequences including reputational damage and even legal repercussions.Also this week, as national media fangirls over Andy Burnham's TikTok persona, we ask what the new prime minister is doing right online. Is social media now the

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31:58

Andrew Tate is blaming the Matrix again

Top Comment ·

2026/07/23

Manosphere kingpin Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested in the US over the weekend after British authorities announced dozens of new charges against the pair, including rape and sex trafficking, which they deny. On this episode, we unpack the allegations being made against the influencers, and what it could mean for those associated with them. Matt, who has reported extensively on the Tate empire, describes the social media narrative being pursued by the brothers as they attempt to

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39:25

Erling Haaland, crypto billionaires, and the foxes...

Top Comment ·

2026/07/16

You may already think crypto is overexposed online, but is what we're experiencing just the tip of the iceberg? On this episode, Matt talks about his new BBC documentary in which he meets some of the tech billionaires who believe blockchain can be used to transform the fabric of society. From micronations to corporate monarchies, we outline their radical vision for the future. Also this week, why psychologists are worried about the growing trend of ADHD self-diagnosis via social media. A study from

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49:49

Solo-maxxing and the femosphere (live at Crossed Wires)

Top Comment ·

2026/07/09

Marianna is joined by guest host Rachel Connolly to journey into the lives of femcels, tradwives, and so-called loneliness influencers. As the merits of social isolation are preached on our feeds, why has solo-maxxing gone from a cheap Gen Z life hack to a dedicated philosophy for many users? How is the femosphere shifting conversations around gender dynamics and heteropessimism? And what does the tradwife trend tell us about the perils of pursuing authenticity as a creator in the volatile world of

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31:47

Gabriel Shemirani on medical misinfo and rejecting...

Top Comment ·

2026/07/03

One year on from the BBC's investigation into the death of 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani - and two years since it happened - this episode of Top Comment explores what the case tells us about the dangers of medical misinformation.Last June, Marianna revealed how Paloma’s brothers blamed their mother - the prominent anti-medicine conspiracy theorist Kate Shemirani - for Paloma’s decision to reject chemotherapy. She denies these allegations.Now, we speak to Paloma's twin brother Gabriel about the

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34:55

Restore Britain, Merlin the duck, and FIFA's content...

Top Comment ·

2026/06/25

After achieving 7% of the vote in last week's Makerfield by-election, the social-led strategy of emerging right-wing party Restore Britain has come under the spotlight. Various anecdotal reports have concluded that their relative success feels disproportionate to their presence on the ground, but their growing prominence online is inarguable - leader Rupert Lowe has over 2m followers across X and Facebook, and Elon Musk has repeatedly backed the party. So, was this a party born out of social media,

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30:49

Agartha explained, and hot girls revolt on BookTok

Top Comment ·

2026/06/18

The BookTok community has erupted after creator AllieRoseCo announced she had trademarked merchandise featuring the phrase 'Hot Girls Read'. User backlash was instantaneous, with many accusing her of attacking small businesses and even betraying her own followers. On this episode, Marianna explains why BookTok is such an influential marketing demographic on TikTok, and what this controversy tells us about the fragility of influencer careers tied exclusively to a personal brand.Also this week, a

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35:29

Belfast, Henry Nowak, and how Grok is supercharging...

Top Comment ·

2026/06/11

After a second night of rioting in Belfast, social media companies are being accused of playing a role in creating disorder. Technology secretary Liz Kendall has said an update to the Online Safety Act will be brought to parliament next week, putting greater pressure on platforms to remove content which seeks to incite violence. On this episode, we explain why X is receiving particular scrutiny, and how its integrated AI chatbot Grok has fuelled misinformation surrounding cases from the murder of

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30:29

Is Hasan Piker NSFW now? And Tung Tung's generational...

Top Comment ·

2026/06/05

When Twitch streamer Hasan Piker was denied entry into the UK this week, it rekindled a conversation around the Home Office's approach to free speech. From Kanye West to Valentina Gomez, the list of prominent names who have seen their travel plans derailed in recent months is growing, with commentators across the political spectrum accusing the government of overreaching. Piker, whose highly critical stance on Israel has led to disputed allegations of antisemitism, says he is being targeted for his

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25:30

Sleuth wars, incels in STEM, and just want Harambe back

Top Comment ·

2026/05/29

An inquest is set to open on Friday into the deaths of three sisters whose bodies were recovered from the sea off the coast of Brighton. The case has led to rampant speculation online, particularly after it emerged that a widely shared image provided by family members appeared to be AI-generated. From unfounded conspiracies about serial killers, to a broader debate over the handling of cases involving black people, it has captivated TikTok sleuths, some of whom are even turning on each other.Also

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27:21

Why you're wrong about Palantir, and TL;DR Tolkien

Top Comment ·

2026/05/22

The US tech giant Palantir holds contracts with some of the most influential entities in the world, from government departments and pharmaceutical companies to military contractors and banking powerhouses. Funding links to the CIA, misconceptions about how it operates, and broader concerns surrounding the use of private data, have all led to a significant protest movement online at the firm's increasing integration into major institutions. On this episode, Matt and Marianna consider why a narrative

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